Revista de Cultura Teológica

Praise for uselessness.

Jose Aguiar Nobre — 2025-05-28

Father Elizeu da Conceição is a Stigmatine religious priest, has a master's degree in theology with research on youth and vocation, a doctor in pastoral theology with research in the anthropology of human vocation, and is dedicated to the human formation of young people. He provides a great service to the Church as an advisor in the perspective of integral human formation. There is abundant research in the area. He currently serves as Provincial Vicar, coordinating the pastoral dimension as a provincial counselor. He is a Parish Administrator at the Santo Antônio de Pádua Parish in Praia Grande. Diocese of Santos, State of São Paulo. He currently offers us this unusual book. It is a work that, due to its title, even scares us, but with a beautiful proposal that allows human beings to turn to an essential dimension of existence which is the exercise of a life of gratuitousness, humility and simplicity.

Missionários no ambiente digital

Irineu Claudino Sales — 2025-05-28

Catholicism and patriotism of the Brazilian clergy

Francisco Das Chagas Albuquerque — 2025-05-28

The relationship between Catholicism and patriotism is a relevant issue today, especially considering the original meaning of this concept according to Christian doctrine and the social teaching of the Church in contemporary times. This article deals with the role played by D. Duarte Leopoldo e Silva, first archbishop of São Paulo (1906-1938) through the analysis of his “patriotic conferences”, which were given on the occasion of the Centenary of Independence. In these lectures he shows the patriotism of the clergy in Brazilian society, highlighting the services they provide in the socio-political sphere. The archbishop’s activities took place in the context of the “Catholic Restoration” (1920-1930). To achieve this objective, the following will be considered: conceptualization of patriotism in the Christian tradition, then an overview of the restoration movement that characterized Brazilian Catholicism, especially in that decade, is presented. Within this framework is the exposition of the prelate’s patriotic speech. The journey will show that the ecclesiastical institution moves away from the end of its existence and the commitment to the common good, denying the meaning of patriotism, as it is concerned with guaranteeing its presence in society as a religious institution allying itself with temporal power.

A Cold Heart (Exodus 9,13-35)

Julio Paulo Tavares Mantovani Zabatiero — 2025-05-28

This article offers for discussion an exegetical-theological reading of the seventh blow (plague) against Egypt in the cycle of the so-called Ten Plagues. The methodology adopted is hybrid, combining elements of historical exegesis with elements of literary and narratological analysis. It is the largest of the individual accounts, with the exception of the account of the last blow if we take into account the description of the link with Passover. Its function in the cycle of blows is to add further evidence of the supremacy of YHWH’s power against the Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt, so that they have no alternative but to recognize the presence and power of YHWH as the liberator of their own people. In relation to YHWH’s people, the account reinforces their conviction of YHWH’s liberating character and the importance of Moses as their partner in the liberation and exodus from Egypt.

A Way of Proceeding

Cainan Espinosa Gimenes — 2025-05-28

This article explores the intersection between Ignatian spirituality and the everyday practices analyzed by Michel de Certeau. Focusing on the first and second weeks of Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises, it examines how the daily life is intertwined with spiritual contemplation. According to Certeau, everyday practices are not mere routines but are spaces of creativity and resistance within societal structures. The Ignatian approach, emphasizing a profound engagement with the daily routine through spiritual lenses, mirrors Certeau’s views on the everyday as a realm of practical agency and transformation. The study discusses the concepts of “Principle and Foundation” and “Indifference” in Ignatian spirituality, highlighting how they guide the practitioner towards a deeper alignment with divine will. The article further delves into Certeau’s distinction between "strategies" and "tactics," showing how Ignatian spirituality aligns with these ideas by integrating practical spirituality into daily living. In the third and fourth weeks of the Exercises, the focus shifts to the contemplation of the other, reflecting on how Ignatian spirituality fosters a transformative experience that respects the distinctiveness of the divine-human relationship. This exploration underscores the relevance of everyday practices in spiritual development and the dynamic interplay between spiritual and mundane aspects of life.

“God without absolute

René Dentz — 2025-05-28

This article explores the implications of the postmodern concept of a «God without an absolute» in theology, philosophy and art, developing a dialogue with the ideas of Jean-Luc Marion, Pierre Thévenaz and Michel Foucault. In the theological field, Marion proposes that God be understood through his withdrawal, or that he preserves his radical otherness. Thévenaz, in turn, defends a philosophy without an absolute that does not deny God, but establishes an autonomous relationship between human reason and the divine. Based on these notions, the work investigates the relationship between body, sublimation and spirituality, based on Foucault and Birman’s analyses of the repression and exaltation of the body in contemporary times. The article also discusses the «death of art» in Hegel’s system and the implications of contemporary art, exemplified by the work of Marcel Duchamp, as an «art without an absolute». The work concludes that the deconstruction of the absolute opens up new possibilities of interpretation and relationship with the transcendent, the body and creation.

Monsenhor Rios

Víviam Lacerda de Souza — 2025-05-28

Monsignor Rios lived part of his priestly life in the municipality of Vassouras in the 19th century and is now considered a miracle worker by his devotees. His representation is absorbed by some local sectors with the claim for success in projects. Our objective here is to show the representation of the religious figure Antônio Rodrigues de Paiva e Rios(1806-1875), in the context of the municipality of Vassouras through the discourses of faith expressed by his devotees and to identify the impacts that this priestly figure generates religiously, economically, media-wise and in the tourism aspects of the community in which he is inserted. The methodology applied in the research permeates bibliographic studies, oral history, content analysis of manuscripts and semi-structured interviews. We conclude that the representation of Monsignor Rios adds value to the tourism catalog of Vassouras in religious aspects, contributes to the generation of local income and combines public and private interests.

Perspectives on the sacred art of Cláudio Pastro

Mauricio de Aquino — 2025-05-28

Cláudio Pastro (1948-2016) is recognized as the most outstanding Brazilian sacred artist of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. For the Jubilee of the Year 2000, on the occasion of the entry into the Third Millennium of the Christian era, Pastro was the artist chosen by the Vatican to create a work symbolizing this new era. Since 2000, he has also been selected to create and carry out the major decoration project for the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, in the Paraíba Valley in São Paulo, the second largest Catholic temple in the world, second only to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The artistic project developed at the Aparecida Sanctuary gave greater prominence to the work of Cláudio Pastro and also generated academic interest in his work. This article presents an analysis of the different perspectives on Cláudio Pastro’s sacred art, based on the theses and dissertations. The results offer a synthetic picture of the characteristics of these academic works and from them a systematized knowledge about the core information of the paths, influences, style and main works of this innovative Brazilian sacred artist.

Education as a reciprocal experience of recognition

Geison Amadeu Loschi — 2025-05-28

Paul Ricoeur didn't devote much of his writing to education, but his philosophy offers significant insights into its main issues. The open writing, concerned with his time issues; focusing on antinomies and paradoxes to move thinking; and his status as a teacher, which always pushed him to write in a way that leads, are some of the characteristics that make Ricoeur's work important as a way to think about education. The problem of recognition, described in The Course of Recognition, helps us think about a poignant demand that emerges from the teaching profession: what does it mean to be a teacher? How can your work be properly recognized? Ricoeur's ultimate proposal to think about forms of mutual recognition, which arise as clearings and gaps in the world of the struggle for recognition, contributes to thinking about these questions. The school language, as a form of symbolic mediation that comes from the teacher's words, is the index of mutual recognition between teacher and student. The teacher's word, as Ricoeur describes it in his essay La parole est mon royaume, is a form of language that constitutes a fundamental other about the student, for the updating of the abilities to speak, act, narrate one's own story and take responsibility for it, which are constituted as universal in the conditions of possibility and as individual in their contingency and vulnerability. The teacher's word, as a form of gratuitousness, is the index of mutual recognition that constitutes teachers and students as subjects of education.

“Sympathizing sorrow”:

Vinicius Couto — 2025-05-28

This essay discusses the problem of suffering based on the theology of the Anglican clergyman John Wesley (1703-1791). In the midst of life's adversities, how would Wesley help answer the question: in suffering, who is and where is God? The hypothesis of this text is that the theologian of the Church of England, through what he called “solidarity sadness”, presents a path of care for those who suffer, presenting a God who is compassionate and immanent and who manifests himself in the midst of compassion and love the next. Our general objective is to present an alternative Wesleyan path for caring for people in situations of vulnerability and suffering. The research is bibliographic, with an exploratory methodology. Wesley's thoughts are extracted mainly from his sermon, analyzed from the bicentennial version (WESLEY, 1984-1987).

Revisitando a Gaudium et Spes para olhar o hoje

Antonio Lisboa — 2025-05-28

This article analyzes the importance of the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes of the Second Vatican Council, highlighting its innovation in proposing a deeper dialogue between the Church and the contemporary world. Initially, it addresses the redefinition of the Church’s role, emphasizing human dignity, freedom of conscience, and the common good. The Church is presented not only as a religious institution but also as a social, political, and economic agent in defense of justice and peace. Next, it discusses the concept of the "signs of the times," indicating that the Church must interpret modern changes to guide its pastoral action. Finally, it highlights its mission in building a more just and supportive society, reaffirming its commitment to social transformation in the light of the Gospel. Gaudium et Spes is not just a theological document but a call to concrete action for human dignity and global fraternity.

Man, a being called to plenitude

Evilázio Francisco Borges Teixeira — 2025-05-28

The Second Vatican Council was the most significant ecclesial event of recent centuries, during which the Church adopted an attitude of dialogue with Modernity. In this dialogue, the Church offers a qualified perspective on humanity, as it declares Christ Jesus, the human being in fullness. In harmony with philosophical thought, this article revisits some of the key anthropological principles found in Gaudium et Spes. The journey through the desert, following the example to the experience of the people of Israel, becomes an opportunity for purification, guiding the human person toward the fullness of existence. Thus, conciliar anthropology points to a human being who, by questioning its own existence, discovers its dignity in the relationship with God. In this way, human life becomes filled with hope and oriented toward a future that each person is called to build through ethical and evangelical principles.

The centrality of the kerygma in evangelizing action

Tiago de Fraga Gomes — 2025-05-28

This research, following the theoretical-bibliographical methodology, aims to present the kerygmatic proclamation of the Christian faith and its relevance for the life of the Church, beyond its presence in the catechumenal processes of Initiation into Christian Life. Following the ecclesiological line of the Aparecida Conference of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopate, the kerygma is considered as the transversal axis of all the pastoral and evangelizing action of the Church, especially with regard to the formation of missionary disciples. The objective of this study is to propose that such an understanding of the kerygma consists of a privileged form of reception of the ecclesiology of the Second Vatican Council that considers the baptismal responsibility of each believer. The centrality of the kerygma in the evangelizing action of the Church allows each Christian to renew his or her relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. This experience has consequences, affecting the renewal of ecclesial life.

Anthropology and Catholic worldview in Pope Francis in light of the reflections of Romano Guardini and Gaudium et spes

Talis Pagot — 2025-05-28

This article seeks to demonstrate the profound harmony between the way of thinking about reality proposed as a method by Romano Guardini, the reflection present in Gaudium et spes, and the Magisterium of Francis, which is nourished by elements of reflection from these two sources. On the other hand, the text aims to demonstrate that the anthropological elements and the worldview of Pope Francis are a fundamental methodological and conceptual tool for an open and constructive dialogue with the world. After presenting the three ways of looking at the world, with their elements of anthropological reflection, as well as the way in which Francis welcomes the contributions of Guardini and Gaudium et spes, one can see the Pope’s great capacity for dialogue and discernment on issues of great global impact such as ecology and peace, the fruit of a deep and complex view of reality.

The ecumenism and the logic of the market

Edin Sued Abumanssur — 2025-05-28

In this article, the aim was to discuss the transition between two perspectives related to the way the theme of cooperation between ecclesiastical institutions or between religions has been articulated, namely, the ecumenical perspective in the 20th century and interreligious dialogue in the 21st century. In the second half of the 20th century, the ecumenical cause in Brazil and Latin America was a movement associated with popular struggles for liberation. It was committed to revolutionary processes, the pursuit of political and economic autonomy for nations, and, finally, the pro-democratization movements in the region. In a world ideologically polarized between East and West, ecumenism became an identity flag that viewed the unity of peoples as necessary for liberation processes. The 21st century brings another perspective: the focus is no longer on unity among churches but rather on dialogue between religions. This dialogue emerges in the context of democratic achievements and, with the fall of the Berlin Wall, in the overcoming of a polarized world divided between East and West. The aim of this analysis, and its raison d’être, is to understand the changes in the macro-political and economic landscape and how they have impacted and rendered obsolete the way ecumenism was proposed sixty years ago, leading to its replacement by reflections on interreligious dialogue. The critique of documents and the intellectual production of the ecumenical movement of that time, in contrast with current perspectives on relations between churches, allows us to outline the transitional profile between the two perspectives. Emic productions from the religious field of that time were compared with those of today. Sociologists whose analytical perspective adopts economic language and categories, such as Peter Berger and Pierre Bourdieu, enable a consequential analysis of this transition. While ecumenism was based on a political perspective in the context of the Cold War, interreligious dialogue is seen as an ethical imperative for churches in a pluralistic context, in which each religion behaves as an economic agent (BOURDIEU, P., 1982, p. 57) competing for followers.

Divine revelation, mediation and the power of salvation

Claudio de Oliveira Ribeiro — 2025-05-28

The article aims to analyze one of the aspects of the inclusivist vision of Christian theologies that, although open to other religions, relegate a restricted and secondary role to them, claiming to contain only ‘seeds of the Word’, without due recognition of the integral presence of the Logos and the Spirit in their institutional environments and in the religious experiences they make possible for their faithful. Methodologically, we chose to articulate theological syntheses of the themes of revelation, mediation and salvation, based on the Christian theology of religions, reinforcing the thesis that the action of the Logos in religions is not only in seminal form, but already mature and sufficient. The research is developed in five steps: the starting point is a brief description of what is called ‘theology of the seeds of the Word’, the focus of our critique. The next three steps consist of observing this vision more closely from the axes of the revelation of the divine, the mediation of the sacred and the power of salvation. Finally, and conclusively, we present the conception that the maturity, and not just ‘the seeds’, of the Logos is expressed in different religious systems, including Christianity, but not exclusively. This encourages the construction of a Christian theology with interactive and polycentric features, understanding the universalism of the presence and action of the divine Logos.

Communication in the Context of the Church

Rosangela Florczak de Oliveira — 2025-05-28

The Second Vatican Council paved the way for a profound ecclesial renewal. One of its significant movements was the recognition of communication as a relevant element in the Church’s evangelizing mission. This article analyzes the advances inaugurated by the Decree Inter Mirifica of the Second Vatican Council, connecting them to the contemporary reflection proposed by the document Towards Full Presence. The analysis explores the understanding of communication as an expression of a culture of care, using the assumptions of the ethics of care as a framework. This study aims to comprehend the openness provided by Vatican II and reflect on the need to transcend the assumptions of a media-based communication towards a dialogical-relational communication, especially in the face of contemporary communicational challenges within the digital environment.

A recepção criativa do Concílio Vaticano II como ocasião para um verdadeiro aggiornamento teológico

Tiago de Fraga Gomes — 2025-05-28